Before starting Popular Cruising and during Cruise Shipping Miami 2012, my father and I had an opportunity to tour the Allure of the Seas from Royal Caribbean International for the day. Since this was before we began shooting our extensive video tours, the few dozen photos below showcase a mere abbreviation of the abundant features found on the massive cruise ship. Nonetheless, it’s fun to peruse them to get a sense for just how expansive the vessel is. Keep in mind that the Oasis-class ships are equivalent in size to two Radiance-class ships welded side by side. Just incredible!
The Royal Promenade was first introduced on the Voyager of the Seas and was an unheard of ship innovation at the time to have a “mall” stretch the length of the ship. Now look how far the concept has come onboard the Allure of the Seas with its impressive length and width.
Of course, the Allure of the Seas was the first ship to sail with a Starbucks Coffee onboard, which is just one of many venues featured in the Royal Promenade…
The Cupcake Cupboard is a great corner of the ship to taste and decorate scrumptious treats…
…Inside, pastel colors and light woods welcome you to savor the sweets.
Boleros is a Latin dance club onboard.
The Royal Promenade really feels like a shopping mall in size, appearance and selection.
Themed tableaus are just some of the incredible interior design work found here.
The Amber Theater is where a full rendition of Chicago: The Musical is performed at sea.
Royal Caribbean continues the onboard ice skating tradition at Studio B.
Despite the ship’s enormous size, there are still a number of intimate retreats.
On the other hand, the classy Adagio main dining hall is nothing short of grand.
The Rising Tide bar is situated on a platform that fascinatingly traverses between the Royal Promenade’s decks as a water fountain dances below…
…And the rising bar deck is where you can enjoy a drink as you ride up and down.
Not only does the Allure of the Seas highlight an enlarged Royal Promenade, but it also has a full Central Park district above it with courtyard staterooms that oversee the lush greenery.
When you see scenes like this, it’s really hard to convince yourself that you’re still on a cruise ship.
Fine specialty dining venues like 150 Central Park are nestled along the side…
…And let natural light in from its windows while you enjoy your meal.
The pool deck is another exercise in perceiving scale. That pit in the middle of the photo is the ship’s Central Park, and still there is room for one full size swimming pool and roomy deck space on each side of it.
The Allure of the Seas‘ traditional “crown lounge” is even large enough to house the ship’s two-deck loft suites…
…Which themselves look out over the Boardwalk at the ship’s stern.
This is where the Aqua Theater is located. Outdoor concerts are performed here…
…As are dive acts when the water pit is revealed.
What would a boardwalk be without a carrousel…
…And a hotdog stand for that matter?
Johnny Rockets foregoes its lofty perch on the Voyager-class ships to serve guests at the Boardwalk.
Just across from the diner is yet another restaurant, Rita’s Cantina.
The Boardwalk also features touches of whimsy like this Madagascar drive-in photo-op, featuring Royal Caribbean’s partnership with DreamWorks.
This captain teddy bear invites passersby to create a plush friend at Pets at Sea.
And let’s finish up with one last glory shot above the Boardwalk where the zip-line attraction stretches across.
The Allure of the Seas is one ship that takes far longer than a day to fully take in, and more likely than not, an entire weeklong sailing would still not be enough. She’s definitely a ship I’d like to board for an extended period of time in the near future. That’s for sure. Have any of you already been onboard? Please feel free to share your experience in the comments section below…
HEADER IMAGE SOURCE: ROYAL CARIBBEAN INTERNATIONAL
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